When I started writing weekly updates about my pregnancy I scoured the internet looking for soon-to-be mommies and new mommies who were writing about their pregnancy and new babies.  It was a good way to figure out what people wrote about and gave me some inspiration.  One thing I wasn’t quite sure about was when people wrote their blog as if they were writing to their child.  I didn’t quite get it.  Why write to someone who is still in your stomach or who’s just weeks old.  So, I get it.  They can read it when they get older but really, are they going to want to.  And here I am, wanting to do it.  I want to tell her all of the wonderful things she’s doing (and not so wonderful things), how her smiles make me laugh, and how she just amazes me everyday.  I’m not sure exactly what to do but don’t be surprised if I go back and forth, writing to all of you as well as to Annabelle.

Dusty’s birthday was this week and we had a great time celebrating with family.  Family gatherings are a lot of fun with our dear little Annabelle.  She’s changing so much that every time we see our friends and family we have new updates and Annabelle has new tricks to surprise everyone with.

I can’t get over how much Annabelle smiles. Is this normal? I’m sure it is but really, I love it! I think she really likes us.  I mean, I’ve hoped she likes us, she’s stuck with us for a while but it’s so nice to see her smiles and giggles to reassure me that she really does love us.

Sleeping is going much better.  She’s waking up 2-4 times each night but the big accomplishment is that we’re only feeding her once, usually around 2 or 3am.  Otherwise, when she wakes up we go into her room, comfort her a little and leave her to fall back asleep.

We’re still working on sitting.  We can leave her for just a few moments and then she’ll start to sway and head for the floor.  We’re not leaving her sitting on her own quite yet but we’re getting so close.

It’s amazing how much I look forward to the weekends but in a different way than I did before. I think everyone looks forwards to the weekend but it’s different when weekends aren’t any longer just about what I want to do.  Our weekends are beginning to look very different compared to when it was just the two of us, and even when we were a family of three at the beginning when Annabelle was still a little unmovable blob.  She was an adorable little blob but for the longest time she didn’t do much of anything but eat and sleep so we spent the weekend working (Dusty) and sewing/housework (Me).

It’s hard to describe but I look at weekends a bit differently than I did when it was just Dusty and I. These days we’re doing a lot less catching up on work and housework and a lot more spending time with each other.  We spend time amusing our little bean (while she amuses us).  I can’t wait until the weather warms up and we can go on walks together and really introduce Annabelle to the Old Market.

The trials and tribulations of being a parent. Trying to balance adult time while getting enough sleep.  I had a perfect girls night! A lovely friend of mine got tickets for Christmas from her husband to see Justin Timberlake and all he asked was that she find a friend to go with.  I was that lucky friend!!!!  I almost forgot how much fun it was to go out for a nice meal with a good friend and do something completely out of the ordinary.

The reason I mention all of this in Annabelle’s weekly update is that the concert was on a Monday, we had a really busy schedule for the rest of the week and by Friday I was completely dead on my feet.  I hate to admit that at some point during the week I went a little crazy due to lack of sleep.  I remember the days when Dusty and I had something going on every night of the week and were eager to go to our favorite restaurant for a drink at the end of the week.  Now, as Friday approaches, I’m thrilled when I see nothing on the calendar and can be in bed before 9pm.  Annabelle, what did you do to this super awesome couple that were always up for doing something before we had you?

Happy belated Valentine’s Day.  Annabelle celebrated Valentine’s Day with a party at school and got her very first card in the mail from her great-grandma Dee Dee.  Another lesson as a new parent, even the youngest of children celebrate holidays at school.  Thank goodness for the note that went home with Annabelle a week or so before the holiday letting me know what kinds of things would be best to give for valentines.  Annabelle gave little containers of play dough with her valentine card.  My favorites that Annabelle got were bubbles, a pair of socks, a balloon, a toothbrush, and chocolate chip cookies the size of pennies (because I got to eat the mini cookies).  Annabelle’s favorite seemed to be the heart-shaped balloon.

Quick note, I always thought it was weird when parents called what I viewed as daycare as “school” but here I am doing it myself.  I’m not sure if it’s that the staff go by Ms. (fill in first name) which makes me think of a teacher, or if it’s that I work at a school and so when I talk to Annabelle I ask her how school was or how much fun she had with her friends at school, or if it’s that now that she’s going to daycare I feel like she’s learning things just like she will be when she’s actually in “school. “

Annabelle’s sleeping great.  She goes to bed sometime before 730pm and if she wakes up before midnight we comfort her by rubbing her back, talking to her and playing some music.  Most of the time she goes right back to sleep.  And then when she wakes up after midnight we change her if it’s necessary (this is when she usually needs it) and I nurse her before putting her back to bed.  She’s been waking up just twice a night.  Life is good!

Annabelle had peas for the first time this week.  I was a little worried she wouldn’t like them because, well, who really likes peas but you would have thought it was the best thing she’s ever eaten.  She eagerly waits for that spoon to hit her mouth.  Next week we’re trying winter squash.

Annabelle is still working on sitting by herself.  She’s a bit wobbly and after a few moments starts to lean and then fall to one side but she’s getting better!  She’s got the tripod down but needs just a little more stability.

This week’s outfit might be one of my favorites. Annabelle is wearing daddy’s Flywheel onsie as a tribute to her love of amazing WordPress hosting and to Valentine’s Day.  She’s also wearing a pair of DIY jeans I made from Dusty’s old jeans and a pair of DIY TOMS inspired shoes I sewed while she was taking a couple of naps over the past. I’ve also made her a few sensory play toys and a doll I’ll share at some point.  And of course, I love the bibs I’ve made for her. We use them all of the time.  I spend a lot of my free time finding baby-related sewing patterns and tutorials that I can make as well.  I’m sure Annabelle will be embarrassed that she had to wear clothes that her mother sewed and had homemade toys but I think it’s absolutely adorable.

I love how much our little bean smiles these days.  She’s so expressive and bubbly.  She’s never in a bad mood (okay, maybe when she’s just pooped or when she’s hungry or when it’s getting close to bedtime but otherwise, she’s darn near perfect).

Right now Annabelle’s in this great spot where she enjoys playing on the floor by herself and is trying to figure out everything around her.  Sometimes I think she’s trying to look right inside of us to figure us out.  I know she’s thinking, who is this person and how can I get her to do everything I want!  I’m just amazed at how her little mind is growing.  She’s getting even better at “finding” toys around her and trying to grab them to put in her mouth.

Annabelle is in loves tags.  Yes, she loves those tags that they put on stuffed animals, on the inside of shirts, on blankets and on toys that say what the product is made out of and includes all kinds of warnings.  I’m telling you, we have some of the coolest toys and what she’s doing is laying there, with this cool toy, trying to grab at the tag attached to the cool toy.  I remember months ago saying to myself that one of these days I should cut those tags off some of those toys because they were ugly.  Now I’m kind of glad I didn’t because they give her all kinds of entertainment.

Annabelle loves her food.  We’ve been making and feeding her baby food for a while but it’s never been very consistent.  We’ll try some squash or cereal or sweet potatoes here or there but it’s not every day.  We’ve starting finding it to her every day though and she really likes it.  This week I brought sweet potatoes for Annabelle’s lunch and her teachers said that she’s a really great eater.  I guess some of the other kids don’t like eating (or aren’t good at it) but she’s a rockstar! Loves her sweet potatoes.

Sleep, the topic I like thinking about the least but end up talking about (and thinking about, and reading about) the most! Annabelle’s sleeping like a 6-month old.  She has good nights and not so good nights.  We started trying a bit of sleep training at the end of the week.  I’ll save that fun stuff for another post.

Each week I try to jot down notes on how Annabelle’s changing and what she’s doing so when I finally find time to write a blog post I have something to write.  For some reason, these updates are becoming a little harder to write each week.  I’m not sure if it’s that we’re just so busy or that things are just becoming “normal” and weeks fade into each other.  I’m not always sure what to write or what really stands out from last week.  Yes, Annabelle is changing but we’ve gotten into a rhythm and our days are looking a little more predictable.

Our little lady has some kind of cold virus again.  She’s got a runny nose and a bit of a cough.  The virus has made her night feedings a little difficult.  Because she’s congested and coughing there have been a couple of times that she’s eaten and then promptly thrown up during one of her coughs.  The hard part is that it happens in the middle of the night or early morning when neither Dusty nor I are at our best.  We learned quickly though and have adapted a few things to help her get through the nights.  One of them being, putting a blanket under Annabelle’s crib so her head is propped up to help her breath.  Towards the end of the week she’s started sounding horse and it’s so sad yet adorable all at the same time.  It just makes my heart melt when she tries to talk and she sounds like an old toy who’s voice box got a little mangled.

I remember babysitting when I was younger and love playing peek-a-boo with the kids.  They laughed.  They giggled.  All I had to do was cover my face or put my hands over their face and then suddenly produce a surprised face while moving my hands.  They loved it.  Every once in a while I try to play peek-a-boo with Annabelle but most of the time she just stares at me with this look, like, “what the heck are you doing mom, you’re crazy.”  This week we got her to crack a smile and even jump a little.  She was a bit surprised when Dusty and I both popped our heads out from behind our hiding spot, saying “peek-a-boo.”

This week we also discovered that Annabelle’s able to hold her own bottle.  We don’t feed her a bottle at home very often but one day I picked her up early from daycare and we had an extra bottle so I thought we’d better use it.  I was holding her and trying to feed her when she grabbed ahold of the bottle and was essentially telling me should could do it on her own (without saying it out loud).

Sleeping is better this week, even with her stuffed nose and coughing.  She sleeps for about 5 hours the first leg and then she’ll wake up around every 3 hours after.  I cross my fingers that things continue to progress and soon she will only be waking up once each night.  I’m still waking up two to three times a night but getting a little extra sleep in between each feeding has helped tremendously.

I love hats on Annabelle! This hat and booties is from Dusty’s mom.  She got it at a market while visiting her sister in Indianapolis.  I’m absolutely in love with both!